Maria von Känel

Maria von Känel is a co-founder and General Manager of the Swiss Rainbow Families Association. Out of her activism for LGBTI families she had the idea to create a special day to celebrate rainbow families all over the world. The International Family Equality Day (IFED) is an official LGBTIQ* awareness day which takes place every first Sunday in May since 2011. The Council of Europe recognises IFED as an important tool to combat homo- and transphobia and to promote a tolerant and cohesive society. Maria is founder and board member of the Geneva based NGO “International Family Equality Day” (IFED) and coordinator of the annual published IFED report.